There is a woman in my area with SEVERAL underweight horses. She has, for years, claimed them to be rescues, but what the non-horse-savvy community fails to realize is that the conditions she is keeping these horses in is NOT suitable for ANY horse, let alone ones that need rehabilitation. A metro officer will visit her place after complaints, and she will say, "Oh, this is a rescue. I just got him." Not only is that a lie, but even if it were true, she doesn't have the knowledge, facilities, or finances to rehabilitate these horses. They're in AWFUL condition. AND, she uses them for the public to ride. She allows "customers" to ride these skinny horses in an open field with other loose horses ... perhaps to someone who doesn't know a lick about the equine world that doesn't seem that big of a deal. But to people with experience and knowledge, we see that she is putting these customers at risk beyond their understanding. She is a woman with good intentions, but no knowledge of how to follow through and help the horses. In my opinion, after being complained on for YEARS, I think the authorities should make her provide proof that she's producing results from these "rescues". This woman used to run a public riding stable and they gave a news team (who had been told the horses were neglected by several people) some bullcrap about all of those horses being rescues. Some of those horses belonged to friends of mine and looked perfectly fine when they went in. After a few months their conditions deteriorated severely and they removed them from the stable. Now, the horses are back to normal (because they're gone out of that hell-hole). I was there when they put a customer on a skinny horse and the horse went down and had to get euthanized later. He was too skinny and malnourished to go on the trail, but they were using him anyway to make money. However local authorities claimed the stable was "up to par" upon their investigation.

As of late, the woman has been 'evicted' from the riding stable and is now keeping the horses at her own personal property. People still pay for rides there, and her young sons "run the show" without adult supervision while she's at work at the Post Office.

What would you do? I've forwarded some photos and information to a few different people and even had a friend of mine who owns her own stable go out to see. She agrees the horses are in bad shape but couldn't get onto the property to investigate further.

We recently had a similar thing happen out this way. Cops were called multiple times and nothing happened. The police are busy and often know no more about horses then anyone else so they take her word at face value. Took getting the humane society involved to get things done in the case out here.

I have contacted the Humane Society as well as Metro Animal Services, which is the "authority" when it comes to removing the horses. They told me, "Oh, she just got these horses from a neglectful situation a few months ago" and I politely informed them that is a load of bullcrap. I have also contacted a few of my friends and a rescue that my friend suggested. The person who owns the rescue is sort of turning this into a nightmare... she is trying to involve my vet, whose father owns the place where I board, and posted something on her facebook page (which has 5000+ friends) about how she got into a discussion with him about slaughter, and how he inadvertedly supported it, and she said she would find a new vet if she (the vet) feels this way as well (I can clarify in detail if anyone wants...it's a whole different discussion). This woman has also contacted PETA. BUT, she did get in touch with the HSUS (Humane Society of the US). There's a lot being done ... lots of people have been contacted.

I've decided to go ahead and post pictures of one of the horses I saw there ... he is a stud and based on his teeth he's around 5. He was locked in a stall with no hay. According to her son, they've had him for a year. If they seize the horses and I find a place, I want to take him. I may just outright offer them $100 for him. He'll need a TON of weight before I even THINK about gelding him...

Neither PETA nor HSUS will involve themselves if there's no media opportunity for them. HSUS and PETA are too much alike for me to want to contact either of them.

I've contacted the media but I am not the one who contacted PETA or HSUS nor do I really condone them being contacted. At this point, though, I am mostly concerned about getting the horses removed from that property. I think it should be escalated in stages though, not just outright contacting every org under the sun ... especially one like PETA.

I've decided to go ahead and post pictures of one of the horses I saw there ... he is a stud and based on his teeth he's around 5. He was locked in a stall with no hay. According to her son, they've had him for a year. If they seize the horses and I find a place, I want to take him. I may just outright offer them $100 for him. He'll need a TON of weight before I even THINK about gelding him...

Well - he is very thin. I am curious though as to why his coat shines? The shine typically goes prior to the weight loss.

As far as the no hay in the stall - after they finish eating - there usually isn't. Not defending anyone - simply stating a fact.

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